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Heron’s Rules of Modern Witchcraft

[Heron’s note: following is the continuation of Aphrodite’s Thealogy of Perfection that developed into our “Four Rules.” This is the story of how the last two were revealed to me as a visionary message back on September 23rd, 2014.]

Allow me to take you back to a time not so long ago…It was a warm and shining Autumn Equinox day here in North Carolina, and we’d just returned from vending at the Pagan Pride Festival in Raleigh the previous day, so I was considerably exhausted.

By Lori Iverson, USFWS Mountain-Prairie (“And the Raven Still is Sitting …”) [CC BY 2.0] Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

We’d spent a lovely weekend in the company of 3000+ fine pagans . It was also a family reunion, as we got to see many from our Sojo Tribe who live in that area. I love my tribe; they are the most mature, civilized and responsible group of witches I’ve ever known. It is a rare thing to have a teaching coven last so long without strain from diva-drama.

The Mabon Day Revelations

That crisp afternoon, I was cruising Facebook and see a posting by Raven Grimassi lamenting how within the witching communities, many are quick to stoop to pitiful levels of back-stabbing each other in public forums. He implored us to become the kind of people who seek out the best in each other, rather than constantly harping on the worst in each other.

I read this sad message just as I was laying down for a nap. As my three kitties snuggled in around me, I thought about all the times folks I’d trusted had betrayed me, and the “Rules” that developed as we tried to learn a better way to coven together. They started as a comedic way to illustrate thealogical concepts (3). Until this fateful Mabon day, we only had two: Don’t burn the Witch and Don’t be the Asshole. As I descended into sleep, I knew this is basically what Raven was asking of us.

By mullica [CC BY 2.0] public domain via Wikimedia Commons

1. Don’t burn the Witch.

The obvious: If you are going to work with the element of Fire, respect its potential, then avoid accidents. The less obvious: Be careful not to conjure up what you don’t know how to safely send back.

Heal thyself: All things vibrate, and like vibrations attract more of the same. (Hermetic Principle of Vibration, also called the Law of Attraction.) If you remain a pulsing magnet of self-loathing, no matter what intention your mouth speaks, you are doomed to repeat your past suffering. If you continue to harbor your wounds, you cannot evolve beyond “wounded consciousness” and all your magick will ever cause is a good ol’ fashioned witch burning of YOURSELF.

“If that which you seek you find not within, you will never find it without.” Charge of the Goddess, Doreen Valiente

Empowerment starts with YOU. Wisdom starts with YOU. Healing starts with YOU. YOU ARE THE MAGICK, so make it effective, harmonious, kick-ass magick sourced by Divine Love. The FIRST step on the path of the Witch is to learn to recognize these wounds for what they are, release all lingering connection to them, and heal from the inside out. Love yourself first. THEN, and only then, can you begin to break the cycle of woundings and don the crown of personal sovereignty.

Perfect Love and Perfect Trust: In the name of all things holy, STOP burning your fellow Witches! We have a hard enough time not being “burned” by the rest of society, if we can’t treat each other with respect, what are we playing at?

How does one:
With no fool a season spend, nor be counted as their friend (“Haters” of any stripe cannot simultaneously claim to be a witch and be taken seriously. Defrock them. Warlock them (in the most traditional sense of term “warlock” being the banishment from the coven as an “oath-breaker” and a binding of their harm.) )
without
becoming part of, or starting, a witch war, if said fool takes its tale of woe to the greater Pagan/Heathen/Polytheist community?

This is a great question, as it does appear at first to be a contradictory statement. For the most part, I think we can all find a way to coexist without waging “witch wars” when we disagree with each other. Our option is to withdraw our alliances, discontinue our friendships; we no longer attend the battles being waged. We can stand firmly in our truth, say why we disagree with someone; declare what actions we cannot even tacitly condone by standing idly by; why we feel it is important to withdraw and no longer be in relationship with someone we think is not even within hailing distance of what consider to be OK, but do this without inflammatory or disrespectful language, and then withdraw to a distance we define and continue living our lives in peace. This isn’t warfare, this is an end to warfare by not even showing up to a battle.

On the other hand, if we magickal practitioners, as a group, feel that there is serious harm being done by someone in your tradition who has gone rogue, committing major violations of laws, ethics, or abuse of power, then I think it is imperative that the people closest by–the people who initiated or ordained that person–and who know of those wrong-doings, work to remove the rogue from a position of authority and power–like an excommunication from your tradition. By “warlocking” in this sense, I mean to magickally bind their powers, and dissipate their harmful effect in the world, all while working to heal whatever mental/emotional issue is the underlying cause of their unethical choices. This is not a “curse,” this is a healing, a grounding, and is equivalent to putting a raving, murderous or suicidal person in a straight jacket until they calm down and get the help they need…so that they don’t hurt themselves or anyone else in the process.
Obviously, this choice would make waves, and is best done with agreement or support of a group, so I think a first step is to approach whatever council, elders, governing body may be present in the community for advice and help, then as a group, approach the offending party directly, with constructive, specific examples of how *behavior* can be adapted to coexist within the group. Everyone is entitled to their own ideas, but *behavior* needs to be tailored to fit within societal expectations should one wish to remain in good standing there. If they don’t reasonably comply, remove them from membership.

Witchcraft is NOT a “turn the other cheek” path. I solemnly believe that it is a path of love and benefit, but it is a warrior’s path, a defender’s path, too. Discretion is at the heart of this issue…it will take enormous amounts of love and compassion to navigate. I’ve walked this road, and it was very difficult. I hope this helps. Blessed be.~Heron

It does help, and I think I have dine this, or something similar with a person who is “merely” a jerk these days. I think enough people in the group he’s in observe this, and treat him appropriately. My closest contact in this tradition–actually most of the folk I know who were in this group–have left it for other reasons, so I can’t get current info.